WM 10 - Speaker: Mr. Mr. S. Ashok Kumar, CGM, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. on "Impact of Chennai Metro Rail by 2026"
Club Service
Attendees: RCG Rotarians(): President Radha Krish, Secretary Venkatesh K V, Treasurer Arunkumar, PP Kathirvel G, PP Ramesh Babu, PP Jagannath R, PP Sridhar T, PP Mothish Kumar, PP Shankar V, Membership Chair Madhan, ISD Meiyappan, CSD Uvais, PI Chair Rafeek, Club Service Director Jemima, PND Nandagopal, Srikanth, Easwaramoorthy, Basheer, Muthu Kannan, Riyaz, Vasu Venkat, Avinash, Samapangiraja, Vishnu Priyan, Sahubar Sadiq, Dr Elengkumaran (Inducted)
Guests (1): Speaker Mr. S. Ashok Kumar, IRSE, Chief General Manager, Track & ELevated Construction, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd
Annette (1):
Visiting Rotarian(1): President RC Chola
Meeting Proceedings
Prior to the regular meeting, the President met with the Core Committee members of the 31st Charter Night at the Lobby Café, Hyatt. Valuable suggestions were exchanged to enhance the planned cruise experience for Past Presidents and members.
The meeting commenced with the collaring of President Radha Krish by PP Ramesh Babu. The Four-Way Test was delivered by President-Elect Nominee Rtn. Nanda, followed by the Thought for the Day by Rtn. Avinash.
Speaker Session: Chennai Metro Phase-2
The highlight of the evening was an informative presentation by Mr. Ashok Kumar, Chief General Manager, Chennai Metro Rail Limited, on Chennai Metro Phase-2, a 128-km project across five corridors.
Key highlights included:
- Single-pillar structures supporting multiple metro levels
- India’s first double-decker metro at Arcot Road
- Elevated roadways between Porur and MIOT on single pillars
- A 100-metre-high, 360-degree curved structure at Kathipara Junction
Mr. Ashok Kumar explained the challenges of night-time construction, coordination with over 30 government departments, and the year-long process of shifting underground utilities before construction. He also outlined feeder connectivity plans with the airport, bus termini, and MRTS.
The ₹66,000-crore Phase-2 project is expected to open its first stretch between Poonamallee and Porur in January 2026, followed by Porur to Vadapalani in February 2026. The session concluded with an engaging Q & A.
A bouquet and memento were presented to the speaker as a token of appreciation.
Club Highlights
- New Member Induction: Dr. S. Elangkumaran, M.D.S., FOI, FICOI, was inducted by Rtn. Kathir; the certificate was presented by PP Shankar.
- Jean Harris Carnival: JHC Chairman Rtn. Nanda invited members to participate in player selection.
- District Conference – Indra Vizha: Conference Chair Rtn. Kathir briefed members about the conference at Chennai Trade Centre on 28th February and 1st March and requested support.
- Announcements & Recognition: Secretary Rtn. Venkatesh announced birthdays and anniversaries.
- Rtn. Uvais received the Rockstar Award for October 2025.
Closing & Fellowship
The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Rtn. Jaggi ji. The meeting concluded with the National Anthem. Members enjoyed a well-planned dinner curated by Rtn. Jemima, served early and appreciated by all.
Conclusion:
The meeting was informative, engaging, and well-attended, reflecting strong Rotary fellowship, learning, and camaraderie.